General Clinton 2012

Ben and I have decided to race the 50th anniversary General Clinton Canoe Regatta again this year and that means training starts now!

This is what last week’s schedule looked like:

• Sunday — 36 mile bike ride in around Williamsburg,VA
• Monday — 10 mile easy bike in Jamestown, VA then weight lifting at home
• Tuesday — 4 mile run at the gym (it was 16 degrees!)
• Wednesday — 3 mile run from office to gym then weight circuit with Darek.
• Thursday — 11 mile bike commute to work and then to WCC followed by 1:45 paddle.
• Friday — 20 mile round trip bike commute
• Sat — 1:15 paddle K2 with Leslie, weight lift at home, hill repeats on the bike.

Not a bad start!

Urban Exploring

Recently I got a new camera — a Cannon S95. I’ve taken it on a few bike rides to practice both the photo elements and the video. One particulary fun ride was “Urban Exploring” on the Cross County Trail in Fairfax. We took the CCT and then a network of there trails from Wakefield up behind the Mantua neighborhood and into Old Town Fairfax. Much of the bike route was unpaved trails through the woods. Awesome!

Over Christmas I put together the below video. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

Dec 19, 2011 — 26 degrees on the ride in this morning. 50 degrees on the way home. This has been a strangely warm December. I’m not complaining!

Pausing at the Georgetown Tree near Key Bridge on my way home.

A step back in time

This past Thanksgiving weekend Dave and I practiced a little time travel. Speficially we stepped back in time by staying at a restored lockhouse along the C&O Canal. The house, one of six restored houses, is available to rent through the C&O Canal Trust. The lockhouses have been restored to different periods signficiant to the canal’s history. The house at lock 49 is restored in a 1920s which would have been the peak of activity for the canal.

Six of us used the house as homebase for a weekend of biking along the canal and historic site touring. Friday we visted Fort Fredrick, Saturday we rode from the house up the Hancock using the C&O and the Western Maryland Rail Trail and then Sunday we toured Antietem. The fabulously warm weather made for excellent biking.

You can see all of Dave and my pictures over at Chesapeake Kayak Co.

Fall in DC

There are few things more beautiful that fall in in DC. Last weekend Dave and I went down to Prince William Forest and rode the loop twice just as the colors were starting to turn. This weekend it was a ride with Leslie and Marc down to Mount Vernon.

It was nearly 60 degrees by mid-afternoon but our cold nights have definitely set the leaves aflame. Here are a few pictures from the rides.

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